Oliphant Johnston

[SarahND]

Hello CarBee and a warm

Margaret was last on the forum in 2009 but let's hope she gets a notification of your post and will come back! Fingers crossed!



Sarah

[Currie]

Hello Sarah,

Not pleasant reading but here’s the true story of the demise of Oliphant Johnston.

Dundee Courier,
Tuesday, August 25, 1874

DETERMINED SUICIDE ON BOARD THE STAR 'O' TAY.

On Saturday forenoon a shocking and determined suicide was committed on board the steamer Star o' Tay when a short distance from Newburgh. Saturday was observed in Newburgh as the salmon fishers’ annual holiday, and the Star o’ Tay was engaged to take a party of excursionists to Dundee. Amongst the number who embarked on board the steamer were a man named Oliphant Johnston, salmon fisher, residing in Newburgh, and his wife and four children. Shortly after the steamer had left the pier, and while the passengers were enjoying the delightful sail, Johnston came to a folding-seat placed along the side of one of the paddle-boxes, and requested a number of women who were sitting upon it to rise. The women, not thinking anything wrong, at once acceded to the request, and Johnston deliberately undid the fastening of the seat and raised the latch of a door in the paddle-box, and before he could be pulled back, put his head into the box and was immediately struck by the paddle, which was revolving at great speed. The poor man was dragged round with the paddle and lost in the water, but there can be little doubt that he was killed by the blow he received. His wife, who witnessed the melancholy act, fainted, and the cries of his children were most heartrending, while the greatest consternation prevailed amongst the passengers.

The steamer was instantly backed and a boat lowered, but no trace of the unfortunate man could be found. The search was continued upwards of half-an-hour, but notwithstanding the great efforts made the crew of the boat were not successful in finding the body. The steamer afterwards proceeded to Dundee, and it is needless to say that the lamentable affair completely marred the enjoyment of the excursionists. It is stated that Johnston had been drinking for some time, and that on Friday he became very outrageous and broke a quantity of the furniture in his own house. His wife had great difficulty in persuading him to accompany her on the trip, and he is said to have remarked to her that "he might go down with her, but he was sure he would not come back.” It is also stated that before he went on board the steamer he asked an acquaintance to have a glass of beer, and while they were in the hotel he said “that would be the last glass of beer he would get from him.” Johnston was 32 years of age and the greatest sympathy is felt in Newburgh for his widow and children.


The suicide was reported in The Scotsman on 24 August but the text is a bit wobbly and the first name split by a column. It mentions that they found his cap.

All the best,
Alan

[CarBee]

This is a report on my G.G.Granfather. What is so so sad, is apart from his death, was that it was witnessed by his wife my G.G.Grandmother and the children, including my G.Grandfather, their son, Peter.

[LyndaScobieStewart]

He was my grannie's great uncle, I'm researching my tree, and came across this story